In his first season, finally, as the head coach of the Calgary Stampeders — a process that seemingly was years in the making and appeared as though it might never come — Dave Dickenson found time for one round of golf. Actually, he got eight holes in before lightning arrived.

In his first season, finally, as the head coach of the Stampeders, Dickenson’s team is 15-1-1 and hasn’t lost since June 25. Calgary has won 14 consecutive games and is assured of the best 18-game record in franchise history. The team also can set a Canadian Football League record for most points in a season with a victory over the Alouettes Sunday afternoon at Molson Stadium. And Dickenson has become the first rookie head coach in the league to win 14 games. That’s one more than John Hufnagel, the Stamps’ general manager, won as the team’s coach in 2008, when Calgary defeated Montreal at Olympic Stadium in the Grey Cup.

“I have to admit, I didn’t think I’d have 15 wins at this point. I feel very fortunate to be in this position,” Dickenson told the Montreal Gazette this week. “Obviously, there has been a lot of pieces that fit. I’m beneficial of that.

“Coaches can screw you up. (The good ones) help you a lot, don’t get me wrong. But I feel it’s more the players that have stepped up. They’ve done what we’ve asked … gone above and beyond. You can’t have this record otherwise.”

If the Stamps are the prohibitive Cup favourites again — it would be their second title in three years — Dickenson, the unassuming 43-year-old from Great Falls, Mont., should be coach of the year, although Winnipeg’s Mike O’Shea will put up a strong fight.

The Stamps, more than any CFL franchise, do things right — on and off the field. If they took any more time grooming Dickenson, he might have fossilized. Forced to retire in February 2009 after a stellar 13-year quarterbacking career, Dickenson immediately joined the Stamps as running-backs coach. He coached the quarterbacks in 2010 before becoming the offensive coordinator the following season. And that’s where he remained for five seasons, although his name was constantly linked to any head-coaching vacancies.

When Hufnagel signed Dickenson as a free agent in 2008 it was to have an insurance policy at the position. But Hufnagel also knew he wanted Dickenson on his coaching staff eventually.

“I thought Dave would get into coaching and I wanted him on my staff,” Hufnagel said.

Contrast Dickenson’s coaching career with that of Anthony Calvillo’s who, through no fault of his own, went from coaching Montreal’s receivers to quarterbacks before being named co-offensive coordinator in the span of a year. Calvillo clearly was rushed and the organization, and Calvillo, are paying a steep price.

Dickenson swears it wasn’t hard remaining patient. “I just enjoy coaching,” he said. “The process and game-planning, seeing it execute on the field. I also just like being around the team, so it wasn’t that hard. I was fine with it. Yes, you want to challenge yourself and try to move up. Obviously, the more you move up the more say you have in things — and you get better salary.

“I have a pretty good thing going here. With coaching, as long as I do a good job the opportunities will always be there.”

Calgary hasn’t had a losing record since 2007. Beginning in ’08, they’ve won two Grey Cups and lost another over an eight-year span, while reaching the West Division final on four other occasions. So it was easy for Dickenson to say thanks, but no thanks, to other offers along the way. Or the other organizations decided to pursue a different path. He was tempted, however, when the University of Montana, his alma mater, came calling. He led the Grizzlies to the Division I-AA national championship in 1995.

Only days after defeating Hamilton in the 2014 title game, Hufnagel announced his intention to step down as coach after the ’15 season. He wanted there to be a year-long transition so Dickenson could begin the process of preparing. The day after the Stamps lost the division final last November, Hufnagel threw Dickenson the keys to the Cadillac, advising him the Stamps were his team. And if the time ever came when Dickenson needed advice, his mentor was a phone call or doors away.

“I’m still getting a lot of help from him. It’s not like it has changed,” said Dickenson one of the league’s most humble and engaging personalities. “But I think he knew, giving me the year’s warning, would help me get prepared and help me in my decision-making.

“He doesn’t speak a lot. If it didn’t go well, he would have stepped in and tried to do more, add more help. He’s not a micro-manager. He lets you figure it out — good or bad. He gives you suggestions. It’s up to you whether you want to use them. Personally, I use them.”

The transition has progressed smoothly, perhaps because Dickenson has become like a pair of old slippers around the dressing room. The players are familiar, and comfortable, with him.

“He’s one of the best coaches I’ve been around, and I’ve been around Mike Shanahan in Denver,” veteran slotback Marquay McDaniel told Postmedia News this month. “Dicky’s a smart guy. The thing I like is you feel like you’re prepared every game. And when he’s calling plays, he knows what defence is coming before the defence calls it. It’s crazy to see how accurate he is.”

There were CFL quarterbacks who threw for more yards, but there were few better money-game players than Dickenson when it came to the playoffs. By his own admission, he possessed the “it” factor — a guy who could produce when the lights were on. He hasn’t changed much in the front office, although he said he has been forced to become somewhat more ruthless; looking a player in the eye and telling him he’s been released, knowing he potentially has taken an athlete’s livelihood away.

But the lessons he learned growing up in Montana, the roots of respect and class that were instilled, remain.

“I don’t care about labels,” he emphasized. “I want to be a winner. That’s the No. 1 thing I care about — not numbers. If you win, life’s more fun and enjoyable. And you keep your job longer.”

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